Instagram update brings new feature: Stories

This week Instagram has announced a new app update this week bringing a new feature they’re calling ‘stories’.

The new feature basically allows you to put together photos and videos into a new slideshow format that doesn’t appear on your regular timeline, is available for 24 hours only and also allows you to add text and drawings to your image and video.

Sound familiar? Yep, it’s pretty much the exact same functionality as Snapchat (except without the live filters). Even though it’s a near identical feature set to Snapchat, feedback for the new functionality is positive.

Instagram has become a powerful marketing tool for businesses, so what do Instagram stories mean for businesses?

One of the biggest things for brands to be aware of is that stories are set to feature quite prominently in the app, and with the fairly recent introduction of an algorithm-driven feed, stories are a good way for brands to get more exposure.

This update will definitely benefit brands who have lots of content and are already very active on social media. One of the best ways for brands and businesses to use this new feature is to really focus on the core purpose of social media for marketing – connecting with your customers. Instagram stories are simply a new tool, and a new channel to communicate with customers in a more personal way.